Services / Color
Color services
Color is where I spend most of my time behind the chair. I plan every color around your hair's history, your natural tone, and how much upkeep you actually want, so it looks natural the day you leave and grows out softly instead of leaving a hard line. Every color service starts with a real conversation about your goals, and includes a patch test.
The color services I offer
Starting rates. Final pricing depends on your hair's length, thickness, and condition, and I confirm it with you before we begin.
Color add-ons
How I think about color
The names can get confusing, so here is the short version. All-over color is one even shade, best for full coverage or covering grey. Foils give bright, dimensional highlights with the most lift. Balayage is painted on by hand for a softer, sun-grown look with regrowth that is far less obvious. A gloss or toner is the finishing step that corrects tone, kills brassiness, and adds shine.
My specialty is lived-in blondes and brunettes: color that looks like it belongs to you, flatters your skin tone, and is forgiving as it grows out. That approach matters even more on fine or thin hair, which I work with every day and which needs a gentler hand to keep it healthy and full-looking.
What a color appointment looks like
- Consultation. We talk through what you want, look at your hair's history and current condition, and agree on a realistic plan and price.
- Patch test. Color services include a patch test to check for sensitivity before any color goes on.
- Formulating and applying. I mix your formula and apply it with the technique we chose, whether that is all-over, foils, or hand-painted balayage.
- Processing. The color develops while you relax. This is also where a scalp massage tends to happen.
- Toning and finishing. I tone or gloss to perfect the shade, then cut or style as needed so you leave finished, not just colored.
- Aftercare. Before you go, I walk you through how to keep the color looking its best and when to come back.
Color and the health of your hair
Healthy hair holds color better and looks better, so I build lightening services gradually rather than forcing a result in one sitting. During lightening I use Brazilian Bond Builder to protect and strengthen the hair, and I will always tell you honestly if a goal needs more than one session to reach safely.
I color with professional lines including Pulp Riot, Danger Jones, and Redken, chosen to fit your hair and the result we are after. For home, I carry and recommend color-safe care from Amika, Matrix, Redken, and L'Oréal Professionnel, matched to your hair at your appointment so your color lasts.
Why trust me with your color
I am a licensed cosmetologist with over 16 years behind the chair. I graduated from Mt. Hood Community College in Portland in 2010 and trained as an Aveda stylist, a foundation that shaped how I think about both the work and the experience around it. I have colored hair in Oregon, Hawaii, and Virginia, and I am proud to do it now in Hudson, Wisconsin.
I keep learning, too, with extensive color education through Aveda, Goldwell, Paul Mitchell, Redken, Joico, and Pulp Riot.
Safety and patch testing
I take your safety seriously. Color services include a patch test, and bigger changes, first-time color, or specialty and vivid shades start with a consultation so I can assess your hair and plan it properly. If color is not the right call for your hair on a given day, I will tell you.
Booking and lead time
Color appointments fill up, so booking a couple of weeks ahead gives you the best choice of times. Starting rates are confirmed at your consultation, and cancellation terms are listed on the policies page. New color clients should plan for a consultation and patch test first.
Color questions, answered
How long does balayage last?
Because balayage is hand-painted and grows out softly, most people stretch it to three or four months between full appointments. A gloss or toner partway through keeps the tone fresh in the meantime.
What is the difference between foils and balayage?
Foils give brighter, more uniform highlights with the most lift and contrast. Balayage is painted by hand for a softer, more natural, sun-grown look with less obvious regrowth. Many clients end up somewhere in between, and we decide together at your consultation.
What is a gloss or toner?
A gloss or toner adjusts the tone of your color and adds shine. It is what neutralizes brassiness or warmth and gives blonde or brunette its finished, polished look. It is added onto a blowout or haircut.
Can I go from dark to blonde in one session?
Usually not in a single appointment, and that is a good thing. Lifting dark hair to a bright blonde safely takes more than one session so the hair stays healthy. I will map out a realistic plan at your consultation so you know the timeline and cost up front.
How much does color cost?
Starting rates run from $95 for a root touch-up to $190 for a full balayage, with foils and all-over color in between. Final pricing depends on your hair length, thickness, and condition, and I confirm it with you before we start.
Do I need a consultation?
For a maintenance service like a root touch-up or a gloss, no. For a bigger change, a first-time color, or a specialty or vivid shade, yes. A quick consultation lets me assess your hair and plan it properly. New color clients also complete a patch test.